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Olivia Dunne weighed in on the difficulty transitioning from gymnastics to a life without her passion. Dunne has made it big on social media and in the business domain, but didn't disconnect from her sport even after retirement.
Olivia Dunne started gymnastics at a very tender age after a sparkly pink leotard caught her eye. She competed at the elite level and was named to the National team for the first time after the 2017 City of Jesolo Trophy. The 22-year-old last competed at the 2020 Nastia Lukin Cup, placing 11th before shifting her focus to a collegiate career at LSU.
In her first year, she helped LSU finish second at the SEC Championships after scoring 9.9 in the uneven bars. She exhibited her prowess on the mat in the following years until graduating from LSU after the 2025 Nationals.
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In a recent interview with For The Win, the Tigers alum shared how it has been difficult for her to transition from her sport since gymnastics was her passion and not merely a profession.
"I think the transition from being a DI athlete [in] any sport to no longer doing your passion ― I think that is a very hard transition. Gymnastics consumed so much of my childhood, so to no longer do it anymore is crazy. It really is."
Dunne joined TikTok the same year she joined the LSU women's gymnastics team. Her massive social media fame allowed her to earn significantly from brand deals and partnerships following the NIL update. She was the highest-paid NIL athlete in 2023 and even received $500,000 for a single social media post once.
Olivia Dunne talked about how she would continue to help women earn from sponsorship deals
Olivia Dunne partnered with Bayou Traditions to launch The Livvy Fund, an initiative to connect NCAA female athletes with top brands so that they can earn from endorsement deals. In conversation with For The Win, Dunne talked about bringing changes by educating female athletes to crack NIL opportunities and called it a part of her legacy.
"NIL, that world, is constantly evolving. I think that no matter what, I will always advocate for women's sports. I started a fund at LSU called the Livvy Fund, and it's to help provide NIL deals for female athletes. I'm going to continue doing that. I think that's part of my legacy as a college athlete at LSU. I would love to help keep providing NIL deals and help educating women on working with brands and getting those deals, because it's definitely more difficult as a female athlete to get NIL."
Olivia Dunne was the cover girl of the 2025 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She walked the ramp at the Runway Show and even attended the after-party and the Social Club.
